Field of the Invention
Embodiments of the present disclosure relate to the field of silicon crystal growth. More particularly, the present invention relates to thermal load leveling using anisotropic materials to control silicon crystal growth.
Discussion of Related Art
Demand for solar cells continues to increase as the demand for renewable energy sources increases. As these demands increase, one goal of the solar cell industry is to lower the cost/power ratio. Solar energy in terms of $/watt is expensive due in part to the cost of manufacturing solar cells. There are two types of solar cells: silicon and thin film. The majority of solar cells are made from silicon wafers, such as single crystal silicon wafers which accounts for the majority of the cost associated with the manufacture of crystalline silicon solar cells. The efficiency of the solar cell, or the amount of power produced under standard illumination, is limited, in part, by the quality of this wafer. Currently, the production of these solar wafers can exceed 40% of the entire cost of a solar cell. Thus, providing high quality solar wafer production in a cost efficient manner can reduce the overall cost of solar energy. It is with respect to these and other considerations that the present improvements have been needed.